Economic expectations

Editorial: Staying swine-smart

With swine flu infecting students at an increasingly ferocious pace, the virus is no longer novelty?rather, it is a routine inconvenience. On late Thursday, 116 students had presented flu-like symptoms, and though the number is large in comparison to peer schools, it still represents less than 10 percent of the student body. Given that national predictions claim infection rates of up to 50 percent on college campuses, it is likely that Bowdoin is not done with the swine flu.

Editorial: Health care reform

As seniors put finishing touches on their résumés, sharpen their interview skills, iron their suits, and make plans for life beyond Bowdoin, there's one important consideration that seems surprisingly neglected: health care. It's a debate that is raging in both houses of Congress but, aside from these pages, is absent from our politically minded campus. Despite its current ubiquity in the news, we would be hard-pressed to find the phrase "public option" uttered anywhere at Bowdoin outside of a government class. But it's time to face the facts.

Editorial

This piece represents the opinion of The Bowdoin Orient editorial board.

September 18, 2009

Bowdoin has seen a lot of change recently.

Despite talk about tough times and scaling back, we?ve seen large-scale projects involving first year bricks, the Museum of Art, Studzinski Recital Hall, Watson and Dayton Arena, and, most recently, the Peter Buck Center for Health and Wellness.

Unfortunately, the Buck stops here.

At this point, projects are wrapped up, plans are being tucked away, and it?s actually time to start tightening those proverbial belts. While campus discussion has centered on the impact of faculty and staff budgets or salaries, it?s now time for students to lower expectations alongside the endowment. It?s time to appreciate the campus for what if offers us today?not what it will offer future students in years to come, or could offer if it had a few million dollars more and a world-class architect. It?s time to remember what we sought in coming to Bowdoin, focusing less on academic facilities and more on our academic missions.

It?s time to get back to the Offer of the College, which, believe it or not, does not guarantee an all-glass campus by 2012.

The editorial represents the majority view of The Bowdoin Orient's editorial board, which comprises Piper Grosswendt, Will Jacob, Gemma Leghorn and Seth Walder.

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